2018 NAPLAN Online Reporting Guide · ACARA has provided a SSSR for each school that had students completing the NAPLAN tests online in 2018. This report contains information at item,

NAPLAN Online Test reporting Guide

2018

2018 NATIONAL ASSESSMENT PROGRAM – LITERACY AND NUMERACY (NAPLAN)

ONLINE REPORTING GUIDE

YEAR 3, YEAR 5, YEAR 7 AND YEAR 9

© 2018

NAPLAN Online 2018 Reporting Guide ii

Authorised and published by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority Level 7, 2 Lonsdale Street Melbourne VIC 3000

ISBN: 978-1-925676-80-8

© Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority 2018

No part of this publication may be reproduced except as specified under the Copyright Act 1968 or by permission from the VCAA.

For more information go to: www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Pages/aboutus/policies/policy-copyright.aspx

The VCAA provides the only official, up-to-date versions of VCAA publications. Details of updates can be found on the VCAA website: www.vcaa.vic.edu.au

This publication may contain copyright material belonging to a third party. Every effort has been made to contact all copyright owners. If you believe that material in this publication is an infringement of your copyright, please email the Copyright Officer: [email protected]

Copyright in materials appearing at any sites linked to this document rests with the copyright owner/s of those materials, subject to the Copyright Act. The VCAA recommends you refer to copyright statements at linked sites before using such materials.

The VCAA logo is a registered trademark of the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority.

iiiNAPLAN Online 2018 Reporting Guide

CONTACT DETAILS

Freecall 1800 648 637

Fax (03) 9225 2334

Email [email protected]

VCAA website www.vcaa.vic.edu.au

DATES FOR NAPLAN PEN AND PAPER 2019 TESTS

14 May Literacy (Language Conventions, Writing)

15 May Literacy (Reading)

16 May Numeracy

VCAA NAPLAN Helpdesk

A Helpdesk service operates to assist principals and NAPLAN coordinators with queries about NAPLAN. For queries and/or assistance contact the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) on:

DATES FOR NAPLAN ONLINE 2019 TESTS

14 to 24 May Writing, Reading, Conventions of Language and Numeracy

NAPLAN Online 2018 Reporting Guide iv

ContentsVCAA NAPLAN Helpdesk iii

DATES FOR NAPLAN ONLINE 2019 TESTS iii

Introduction 1

Privacy Policy 1 NAPLAN Data Service 2 Student and School Summary Report 2Access to NAPLAN Writing Test Images 3A Note About 2018 Writing Results 3Reports on a National Scale 3Scaled Scores 4National Minimum Standards 4Trend Data and Growth 5NAPLAN Student Report Format 5Release of Data 5Reference Guides for analysing NAPLAN data 5

Section 1: NAPLAN Data Service Access 6

Changing the password 7Accessing a report 8Selection criteria 9Assign Students to Classes function 9Previewing and printing reports 10Extract function 11

Section 2: SSSR Download 12

Section 3: NAPLAN Data Service Reports 15

Summary of reports available for Online results 15List of Reports and Functions 15School Summary Report 17Group Summary Report 18Writing Criteria Report 19 Student Response Report by Writing Criteria 20Student Achievement Level Report 22Five Year Trend Report 24School Comparison Report – Matched School Group 25 School Comparison Report – Matched Student Group 26 Scaled Score summary table 27School-Student Comparison Report 27Relative Growth Report 29Transitional Relative Growth Report 31

Section 4: Interpretation of Results 32

Making Comparisons 32School and Subgroup Comparisons 32Individual Comparisons and Improvement 33

Section 5: Individual Student Reports 34

Sample page 1 of the NAPLAN Student Report 35NAPLAN Data Service Reports 36Confidentiality of Results 36Distribution of NAPLAN Student Reports 36Replacement of NAPLAN Student Reports 36Queries about NAPLAN Student Reports 36

Appendix 1: SSSR 37

Appendix 2: NAPLAN 2018 Data Service Report Summary 47

Glossary 51Data presentation 51

1NAPLAN Online 2018 Reporting Guide

IntroductionThis year the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) commenced the transition from a paper based to an online assessment. From 2020, all schools across Australia will conduct the NAPLAN tests online.

In 2018 NAPLAN Online was delivered to schools via the Online National Assessment Platform (‘Platform’). Students completed the tests via a secure locked down browser (LDB) on a suitable device (such as a computer or tablet). The LDB prevented students from accessing the internet and other functionality (such as spelling and grammar checks).

NAPLAN Online delivers numerous benefits including:

• Innovative use of technology, including a more engaging test design and a wider range of item types

• A ‘tailored test’ design that adapts to correct and incorrect student responses providing more precise understanding of student achievement, especially for students at the bottom and top of the scale.

• The extension of the ‘test window’ to two weeks, allowing schools greater opportunity to schedule the tests at times that suit them best and increasing student participation.

The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) has responsibility for the central management of NAPLAN and is leading the transition nationally. The transition is being facilitated in Victoria by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA), in collaboration with the government, Catholic, and independent sectors.

Privacy Policy

The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) is committed to the protection of student information generated by NAPLAN. All personal information collected during NAPLAN is used in accordance with the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014. In order to conduct the NAPLAN tests, the VCAA collects names and achievement data of all students who undertake the Year 3, Year 5, Year 7 and Year 9 tests. The VCAA also collects information on student gender, language background, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) status, Victorian Student Number (VSN) and date of birth.

The VCAA supports schools’ privacy compliance with NAPLAN testing requirements by encouraging principals to ensure that their parent communities are aware of the purposes for which NAPLAN data will be used.

The VCAA uses the student information provided by schools to load student details onto the Online National Assessment Platform, to pre-print individual student details on the front cover of the test books (where required) and to report to parents on their child’s performance. This data is also provided to the school to assist principals to analyse the effectiveness of their school programs and to identify individual students’ strengths and weaknesses.

Schools across Australia are required to collect background characteristic information for all students participating in NAPLAN. The VCAA, on behalf of the Department of Education and Training (DET), is responsible for the management and supply of this information for national reporting purposes.

NAPLAN Online 2018 Reporting Guide 2

The information that will be required for each student is as follows:

• parental school education (mother and father as applicable)

• parental non-school education (mother and father as applicable)

• main language spoken at home (student)

• main language spoken at home (mother and father as applicable)

• parental occupation

• country of birth.

No individual student will be identifiable in the information released for national reporting purposes.

The principal will ensure that all student details and results are kept confidential.

The VCAA privacy policy can be found at: www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Pages/aboutus/policies/privacypolicy.aspx

NAPLAN Data ServiceThe Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 NAPLAN data is available for Victorian schools to access online, via the secure NAPLAN Data Service. All student and school results from 2008 to 2018 can be accessed by schools on this website. Schools must use their unique login and security password to access their results.

For schools that completed NAPLAN 2018 online, all school and trend reports, and access to the Student and School Summary Reports (SSSR) are available through the data service.

All 2018 NAPLAN online results are reported on the same scale as the paper based results. Student and School Summary Report (SSSR)

ACARA has provided a SSSR for each school that had students completing the NAPLAN tests online in 2018. This report contains information at item, school, class and student levels. The purpose of the SSSR is to provide feedback on how students and cohorts of students within schools performed in the NAPLAN Online tests.

The SSSR does not contain scaled score results for students or comparisons to state or national results. The SSSR focuses on student responses to test items relative to their difficulty and to the overall test performance of the student.

The SSSR should be used in conjunction with the NAPLAN Data Service to gain a complete view of student performance. The SSSR contains individual student response information for the online tests, which is not currently available in the NAPLAN Data Service. The SSSR also provides links to the item students attempted, or an exemplar (where appropriate).

A separate guide for the SSSR is available in appendix 1 at: https://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Documents/naplan/Printable_How_to_interpret_the_SSSR.pdf

Instructions on how to download the SSSR is provided on page 12 of this guide.


Access to NAPLAN Writing Test Images

Victorian schools can access images of their students’ NAPLAN writing test responses to assist with interpretation of their NAPLAN writing results. Downloaded images of the writing responses are also used by teachers to provide feedback to students on their NAPLAN writing performance.

Online schools will be able to access their writing test images in two locations:

• All writing images will be available via the NAPLAN Test Administration Website (www.naplanadmin.vic.edu.au).

• Writing images for Years 5, 7 and 9 students that completed the test online are also available via the Student and School Summary Report (SSSR). (see page 37 for more details on the SSSR).

Details on how to access the website and instructions on how to download images will be sent to school principals with the NAPLAN school reporting packages.

Please note that schools have access only to images of their own students’ Writing tests and those images are available strictly for internal school use.

A Note About 2018 Writing Results

Marking of online writing scripts was not completed within the platform used to deliver the tests. This results in anomalous reporting of Writing within the SSSR. For more detail see appendix 1. The Writing results are accurately presented in all data service reports.

Students or schools who completed Year 9 Writing achieved a result of 10-15 scale score points higher than those of similar ability who completed the test on paper. This is approximately one quarter of a NAPLAN band and any comparison with results from paper testing need to take this into consideration. The difference between students’ results for online and paper tests at Year 5 and Year 7 were not significant.

Reports on a National Scale

The National Assessment Program scale maps student outcomes onto a ten band continuum. Where appropriate, the NAPLAN Data Service displays results against these bands. National, state and school distributions are presented as box-and-whisker graphs plotted against the bands relevant for the year level as follows:

• Year 3 - results will be reported in Band 1 to Band 6• Year 5 - results will be reported in Band 3 to Band 8• Year 7 - results will be reported in Band 4 to Band 9• Year 9 - results will be reported in Band 5 to Band 10.


Scaled Scores

Scaled scores provide an ability measure of student outcomes. These scores range from 0 to 1000, and form the numeric continuum from which the ten reporting bands are derived. The bands line up against the scaled scores as follows:

• Band 1 - scaled scores ≤ 270 • Band 6 - scaled scores > 478 and ≤ 530• Band 2 - scaled scores > 270 and ≤ 322 • Band 7 - scaled scores > 530 and ≤ 582• Band 3 - scaled scores > 322 and ≤ 374 • Band 8 - scaled scores > 582 and ≤ 634• Band 4 - scaled scores > 374 and ≤ 426 • Band 9 - scaled scores > 634 and ≤ 686• Band 5 - scaled scores > 426 and ≤ 478 • Band 10 - scaled scores > 686

Please note that all 2018 NAPLAN results (paper based and online) are reported on the same scale.

National, state and school summary statistics are provided as scaled scores below the box-and-whisker graphs for the School Summary (National) Report. The tabular form of the Student Achievement Level (National) Report shows results for individual students as a scaled score for each assessment area.

Scaled scores can be directly compared across time within any given assessment area. However, comparison of scaled scores across different assessment areas is not meaningful and is not recommended.

All national and state statistics are based on full cohort data and include both paper based and online test results.

National Minimum Standards With the introduction of NAPLAN in 2008, single point national benchmarks were replaced with a national minimum standard, defined by a particular band at each year level as follows:

• For Year 3, the national minimum standard is Band 2• For Year 5, the national minimum standard is Band 4• For Year 7, the national minimum standard is Band 5• For Year 9, the national minimum standard is Band 6.

Students with results in these bands have typically demonstrated the basic elements of literacy and numeracy for their year level. Students with results in the lowest band for their year level have not achieved the National Minimum Standard, and are likely to require focused intervention or specialised support to fully participate in schooling.

Details of the general skills associated with the National Minimum Standards are provided, for each domain, on the ACARA website at http://www.nap.edu.au/naplan


Trend Data and Growth

The Five Year Trend Report displays a full five year data set, and provides schools with an opportunity to make comparisons between their NAPLAN results over the five years from 2014 – 2018.

The School Comparison Report shows the distribution of results for Year 3, (5 or 7) students in 2016, and that for the same students in Year 5 (7 or 9) in 2018.

The School-Student Comparison Report shows the relative position of 2016 and 2018 results for a selected student, with respect to national, state and, where applicable, school results.

The Relative Growth Report shows the level of growth for each student relative to students who had the same NAPLAN score two years ago.

The Transitional Relative Growth Report provides grouped results of Year 5 students who sat the NAPLAN tests at the school two years ago and for whom a current Year 7 result can be found.

More detailed information about these reports is provided in Section 2.

NAPLAN Student Report format

The format of the NAPLAN Student Reports is similar for all states and territories. A sample NAPLAN Student Report for 2018 is provided on page 35.

Release of data

It is likely that some national data will not be available at the time of the Data Service release. In these cases, national results will be withheld and a note will appear indicating that additional data will be provided when available.

Reference Guides for analysing NAPLAN data The VCAA has developed some examples of the ways in which NAPLAN data can be used at the classroom level can be found in the Teacher’s Guide to using NAPLAN data diagnostically at: http://usingassessmentdata.vcaa.vic.edu.au/naplan/

A reference guide outlining the structure and function of the new Relative Growth Report is available at: http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Documents/naplan/GuidetoRelativeGrowthReport.pdf

A guide to assist with the interpretation of the SSSR is available at: https://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Documents/naplan/Printable_How_to_interpret_the_SSSR.pdf


Section 1: NAPLAN Data Service Access

The NAPLAN 2018 student results and school data are available on the secure NAPLAN Data Service website. Principals should ensure that all personnel who are given access to their school’s data treat that information in a confidential manner.

To access this website, go to: https://naplands.vcaa.vic.edu.au

This screen will appear:

Click on ‘NAPLAN Data Service System Login’.

You will see the login screen.

Enter the school identification login name (User ID) and password, then left click on the ‘Login’ button. Passwords are case sensitive.


This screen will appear:

Note: When a school logs on to the NAPLAN Data Service, the test frame on the ‘Reports Parameters‘ screen will be customised to the year level and type of tests completed by students at that school. The screen will vary depending on the tests attempted by students in that school in the period from 2008 to 2018.

The drop-down menu options will also match the testing history of the school.

For 2018, the ‘Reporting Years’ menu can offer NAPLAN results for 2008 to 2018. The ‘Report Name’ menu will contain reports relevant to the year level and reporting year for your school. Check the table ‘NAPLAN 2018 Data Service Report Summary’ on page 47 to see which reports relate to the NAPLAN 2018 tests.

Please note: To ensure data security, school passwords are changed annually. Passwords for 2018 are supplied in the letter to principals which accompanies the delivery of NAPLAN student reports. If a password is lost, the principal should send an email to: <[email protected]>. Please include ‘Password Request’ in the subject line.

Changing the password

The school identification login (User ID) is a permanent name which has been programmed for the school and cannot be changed. The password may be changed by accessing the ‘Change Password’ option at the top right of the initial ‘NAPLAN Reports Parameters’ screen.

Note: A password must consist of a minimum of six characters (no spaces), and must include at least one letter and one number. Passwords are case sensitive.


Accessing a report

Log into the NAPLAN Data Service and from the ‘Report Parameters’ screen:

1. Select the required year level in the ‘Test’ frame2. Select 2018 from the ‘Reporting Year’ drop-down menu3. Select the report required from the ‘Report Name’ drop-down menu.

When a report is selected, additional parameters will be displayed, as shown below for the Group Summary Report.


Selection criteria

The selection criteria are the additional options that are available once the Report Name has been selected. The available options will vary for each specific report. Selection criteria may include:

• Group selection

This allows reporting on students by gender, Language Background Other Than English (LBOTE) and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) status.

• Class selection

Reporting on a class can be generated by selecting a class from the ‘Class Code’ drop-down menu on the ‘Report Parameters’ screen. See below for details on how to assign students to classes.

• Student selection

Some reports allow reporting on all students or, by selecting the required name from the ‘Student Name’ drop-down menu, one specific student.

Assign Students to Classes function

For 2018 reports, this function can be accessed from all reports except the School Summary Report, the Five Year Trend Report, the School Comparison Report and the School-Student Comparison Report.

The ‘Assign Students to Classes’ function allows the creation of classes and the assigning of students to those classes.

Click on the ‘Assign Students to Classes’ button. This takes you to the ‘Assign Students to Classes’ screen.

A list of the names of the selected group of students will appear on the screen with a ‘Class’ drop-down menu available against each student name.


If schools provided class information to the VCAA during the enrolment phase, this information will be included in the NAPLAN Data Service next to student names.

Classes can be created using the ‘Create/Delete Classes’ button on the top right hand side of the ‘Assign Students to Classes’ screen. This will open the ‘Create/Delete Classes’ window.

A class can be deleted at any time by clicking the ‘Delete’ column next to the class name.

To create a new class, select the ‘Reporting Test’ required and enter the new class code in the available field, then click on the Save button. Please note that class names can not be greater than 12 characters.

After the required class or classes are created, close this window by clicking on the ‘Close’ link at the top right of this window. You will be returned to the ‘Assign Students to Classes’ screen where the new class will appear in the ‘Class’ drop-down menu next to the student name.

Note: Students do not have to be assigned to a class unless a report is needed for that particular group of students.

Previewing and printing reports

When the required report has been chosen and the appropriate criteria selected for the report, click on the ‘Preview Report’ button located on the bottom left of the screen. This will display the report on the screen.

The following functions are available at the top right of the preview report screen:

Preview All Pages I Print I Export I Close

‘Preview All Pages’ enables you to view all the pages of a longer report on a single screen.

‘Print’ enables you to print out part or all of a report. Check your print page layout before printing the reports. The Student Achievement Level Report, the Group Summary Report and the Writing Summary Report are best printed in portrait layout while all the other reports should be printed in landscape.

‘PDF’ enables the report to be exported to PDF format to allow for storage or printing.

‘Export’ enables you to send the report to MS Word where you can store it or place it in another Microsoft Word or Microsoft Excel document. ‘Export to Microsoft Word’ will only work with versions of Microsoft Word 2002 or later.

‘Close’ closes the ‘Preview Reports’ screen.


Extract function

The NAPLAN Data Service has an extract function that enables schools to extract report data in a tabular format. The selected data is extracted into a comma separated values (CSV) file format that can either be saved as an MS Excel document or imported into MS Access for further analysis and charting.

Schools are able to extract data at both the school level and student level, and can also extract national and state means and percentiles for outcome scores. Please note that no question level data is available for tests completed online except for writing. The outcome level data extract will identify which students completed which test online or on paper. Some question level data is however available via the export function in the SSSR.

The extract function can be accessed through the ‘Extract’ link located at the top of the initial ‘Report Parameters’ screen.

The ‘Extract’ screen is shown below. Instructions on how to run the extract function can be found in the ‘Help’ link located at the top of the screen.

Note the Outcome level Data extract will identify which students completed which test online or on paper.

2018


Section 2: SSSR Download

The Student and School Summary Report (SSSR) is a report package provided by ACARA. These are available for download from the NAPLAN Data Service.

This can be accessed through the ‘SSSR Download’ link located at the top of the ‘Report Parameters’ screen.

The ‘SSSR Download’ screen is shown below. Instructions on how to download the SSSR report package can be found on this page.

A link to the ‘Online Reporting Guide’ can be found on the top right of this page. This is a comprehensive document that specifically outlines reporting for schools that have completed NAPLAN online.

Once the files have been downloaded and saved on your local directory, you do not require an internet connection to open and view them. Schools are advised to save files to an appropriate location that is only accessible to staff that require access to this data.

Instructions on how to download your SSSR (with images)

1. Click on the ‘Download’ button.

2. You will be asked whether you want to ‘Open’, ‘Save’ or ‘Save As’. Select ‘Save As’.


3. A pop-up file explorer window will ask you to save the folder at a preferred location on your computer (e.g. C:\Desktop).

4. Once the download is complete, navigate to the location on your computer where the SSSR folder has been saved (e.g. C:\Desktop).

5. Right click on the SSSR Folder and click on ‘Extract All…’

6. When the pop-up window opens, click ‘Extract’.

7. Open the now-extracted SSSR Folder.

8. Click on ‘index.html’ to launch the SSSR in a web browser.


9. This will open the SSSR in a web browser.


Section 3: NAPLAN Data Service Reports The NAPLAN Data Service provides eleven reports covering current year results from NAPLAN testing against the national scale.

Summary of reports available for Online results

The following table provides a summary of all NAPLAN Data Service reports, and indicates the year levels for which they are available.

Report Name Year 3 Year 5 Year 7 Year 9School Summary Report 4 4 4 4

Group Summary Report 4 4 4 4

Writing Criteria Report 4 4 4 4

Student Response Report (Writing only) 4 4 4 4

Student Achievement Level Report 4 4 4 4

Five Year Trend Report 4 4 4 4

School Comparison Report 4 u 4

School-Student Comparison Report 4 u 4

Relative Growth Report u u u

Transitional Relative Growth Report.4 Report is available for NAPLAN results for 2008 to 2018 u Report is available for NAPLAN results from 2012● Report is available for NAPLAN results from 2011. (For Year 5 students from two years prior).

Please note all national and state statistics are based on full cohort data and include both paper based and online test results.

List of reports and functions

For 2018, the NAPLAN ‘Report Name’ menu has the following report options:

• School Summary Report – displays national, state and school distribution data for each test area (Reading, Writing, Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation, and Numeracy). This report presents data displayed against the National Assessment Program Scale. It shows a graphic displaying data in box-and-whisker plots and a table of summary statistics (see page 17).

• Group Summary Report – compares all students and subgroups of students at the school with the same groups for the nation and state (see page 18).

• Assessment Area Report – does not report for Online.

• Writing Criteria Report – summarises group performances on the Writing test for each of the ten criteria against which the national Writing test was assessed (see page 19).


• Item Analysis Report – does not report for Online. Item summary information for tests completed online can be found in the ‘School Item Report’ section of the SSSR.

• Student Response Report – this report is only available for Writing Criteria. Student response data for all other tests completed online can be found in the ‘Student Report’ section of the SSSR.

• Student Achievement Level Report – provides summary information on results for either one student or for a group of students. This report can be printed in graphic and tabular formats. This data is displayed against the National Assessment Program Scale (see pages 22-23).

• Five Year Trend Report – presents national, state and school data from 2013 to 2018 as box-and-whisker plots on the national scale. These are provided separately for each test area (Reading, Writing, Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation and Numeracy). In addition, national, state and school scaled score means are plotted on a line graph over the five year period of comparison (see page 24).

• School Comparison Report – compares results of students at the school who undertook the Year 5 (7 or 9) tests in 2018 with their results, if available, for the tests they undertook in Year 3 (5 or 7) in 2014. National, state and (where applicable) school results are also shown for each of the two testing periods (see pages 25-26).

• School–Student Comparison Report – shows, for an individual student, Year 3 (5 or 7) results from 2016 and Year 5 (7 or 9) results from 2018 with respect to the distribution of national, state and (where applicable) school outcomes (see pages 27-28).

• Relative Growth Report – this report shows the level of growth for each student relative to similar ability students. Each student’s level of relative growth is determined by comparing their result to results of Victorian students who had the same NAPLAN score two years ago. The tabular version of the report shows the scaled score outcomes and relative growth category (‘high’, ‘medium’ or ‘low’) for each student at the school that participated in NAPLAN assessment. The graphical version of the report provides a summary of these relative growth levels, and also displays them with respect to achievement levels from two years prior (see pages 29-30). Note: this report is available for Year 5, Year 7 and Year 9.

• Transitional Relative Growth Report – this report provides the graphical version of the Relative Growth Report for students who sat the NAPLAN tests at the school two years prior to the current test year, for whom current Year 7 result can be found from a different school. This group level report shows the overall percentages of students from the Year 5 cohort two years prior who achieved high, medium or low relative growth in Year 7. This information is also shown with respect to the relevant Year 5 NAPLAN bands results. Note that the report is accessed from the reporting year option for the Year 5 cohort of interest – not from the current reporting year (see page 31).


School Summary Report

This report provides data on groups of students who completed the Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 NAPLAN tests and reports on Reading, Writing, Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation, and Numeracy. The School Summary Report displays the national, state and school distribution data for each test area on the National Assessment Program scale (National Band results).

The report can be viewed for all students or by subgroup (Girls, Boys, LBOTE and ATSI) and provides a graphic displaying data in box-and-whisker plots. A table showing summary statistics is included below the graphs.

Example of School Summary Report

These graphs show the distribution of national, state and school results on the (ten band) National scale.

This table provides the scaled score summary statistics at national, state and school levels.


Group Summary Report

This report graphically displays the national, state and school distribution data separately for each test area (Reading, Writing, Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation, and Numeracy), broken down by subgroup (All Students, Boys, Girls, LBOTE and ATSI). In addition, a summary table for each test area shows the number of students from the school, by subgroup, who obtain results in each achievement level.

Reports on the National Assessment Program scale show the percentage of students who have results ABOVE, AT and BELOW the National Minimum Standard. These percentages do not include students who were absent from the test.

Example of Group Summary Report

These graphs show the distribution of national, state and school results for All Students, Boys, Girls, LBOTE and ATSI students respectively.

When a school group has fewer than ten students, the results are reported as a dot per student (may be superimposed for identical scores).


Writing Criteria Report

The Writing Criteria Report shows the frequency of scores for each of the ten criteria against which the Writing test was assessed. This report shows bar graphs for national, state and school data.

Students were asked to write a narrative text based on a common stimulus and given time to plan, write and edit their work.

Years 3 and 5 students received a different topic from Years 7 and 9.

3 and 5 stimulus was “My Big Idea” or “Sport is good for everyone” 7 and 9 stimulus was “New technology” or “Not enough”

Student writing was assessed against the following ten criteria:

Criterion Description Score range

Audience The writer’s capacity to orient, engage and affect the reader 0 – 6Text structure The organisation of the structural components of a persuasive text

(introduction, body and conclusion) into an appropriate and effective textstructure

0 – 4

Ideas The selection, relevance and elaboration of ideas for a persuasive argument 0 – 5Persuasive devices

The use of a range of persuasive devices to enhance the writer’s position and persuade the reader

0 – 4

Vocabulary The range and precision of contextually appropriate language choices 0 – 5Cohesion The control of multiple threads and relationships across the text, achieved

through the use of referring words, ellipsis, text connectives, substitutionsand word associations

0 – 4

Paragraphing The segmenting of text into paragraphs that assists the reader to follow the line of the argument

0 – 3

Sentence structure

The production of grammatically correct, structurally sound and meaningful sentences

0 – 6

Punctuation The use of correct and appropriate punctuation to aid the reading of the text 0 – 5Spelling The accuracy of spelling and the difficulty of the words used 0 – 6

Links are provided at the top of the report to both the 2018 Writing Stimulus and the 2018 Marking Guide.

Example of Writing Criteria Report

Click on the links to view the 2018 Writing Stimulus and Marking Guide.

The graphs show the percentage of results for each score.


Student Response Report by Writing Criteria

This report is a concise summary of each student’s performance on the writing test. It displays the student’s score for each criterion and the total score.

The report can be printed for individuals or groups of students. An individual student’s report can also be provided to parents if they require further information about their child’s results.

Example of Student Response Report

Note: Letters denote an incorrect response. For example - A, B, C, D and E relate to the first, second, third, fourth or fifth multiple-choice options in a question.

Shows the total number of correct items for each student.


A summary is provided at the end of each report that displays:

• average score for each criterion for the Group and for the State, and • the Group and State median, mean and standard deviation.


Student Achievement Level Report

The Student Achievement Level Report provides individual student results for each test outcome where a result is available.

The report shows the performance of individual students in the school in each area assessed. This report can be printed for all students in a group or for an individual student.

Student Achievement Level Report - graphical format

This report reflects the information contained in the NAPLAN Student Report. It displays the student’s Achievement Score for each assessment area in relation to the national mean and the middle 60% of national results. The dots indicate the student’s results for each assessment area.

Example of Student Achievement Level Report

The shaded areas show the national range of achievement for the middle 60% of students for the year level.


Student Achievement Level Report - tabular format

The tabular form of this report gives the Scaled Score outcome for each student in the group, and for each test for which a result is available.

Reports student achievement in scaled scores.


Five Year Trend Report

This report provides trend data on groups of students who have completed the NAPLAN tests.

The report shows summary results in the form of box-and-whisker graphs for students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 in the areas of Reading, Writing, Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation, and Numeracy. Results are given for the national, state and school groups. The report can be run for the whole group (All), or by Gender, LBOTE or ATSI status.

In addition, a line graph is provided showing the national, state and school mean scaled scores plotted over time. These means are also displayed numerically in a table at the end of the report.

This graph plots the mean of the selected outcome for the national, state and school group for each year of NAPLAN.

This table displays the means as a scaled score and includes a count of students in the school group.

These graphs show the national, state and school distribution of results for the selected outcome for each year of NAPLAN.


School Comparison Report – Matched School Group

This report provides data on groups of students who completed Year 5, Year 7 or Year 9 tests and reports on Reading, Writing, Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation, and Numeracy.

This report shows the growth between 2016 and 2018 results for students who undertook the 2016 and 2018 tests at the same school. This version of the report is not available for Year 7 students at secondary schools (where there is no Year 5 cohort). The report shows data at the national and state levels, as well as that for

• the school group (all students in the school at the time of testing)

• the matched school group (only students who were present at the school for both the 2016 and the 2018 tests)

These data are longitudinal in nature and are useful for comparing the change in performance of the same groups of students between 2016 and 2018 (e.g. how the performance of Year 3 students in 2016 compares to their performance now they are in Year 5 in 2018). Alternatively, these data are useful for investigating the rate of progress of a group of students over time, relative to other students in the nation and state.

Example of Year 5 School Comparison Report – Matched School Group

For each set of results:

- The first (blue) box-and-whisker shows the distribution of results for all Australian students in the relevant year. (National)

- The second (yellow) box-and-whisker shows the distribution of results for all Victorian students in the relevant year. (State)

- The third (red) box-and-whisker shows the distribution of results for all students who completed the test at the school in the relevant year. (School)

- The fourth (green) box-and-whisker shows the distribution of results for those students who completed both the 2016 and 2018 tests at the school. (Matched School Group)


School Comparison Report – Matched Student Group The Matched Student Group version of the School Comparison Report is available for all schools with a Year 7 cohort. P-12 schools can also see this version of the report for Year 5 and Year 9 students. This report is similar to the Matched School Group version described above, but contains the following adjustments:

• There is no ‘School’ group (red) for 2016

• The ‘Matched School’ group (green) is replaced by a ‘Matched Student’ group (orange). This is the group of students who sat the 2018 test at the school and who have a 2016 result from this or another school.

Example of Year 7 School Comparison Report




- The third (red) box-and-whisker shows the distribution of results for all students who completed the 2018 test at the school. (School – current year only)

- The fourth (orange) box-and-whisker shows the distribution of results for those students who completed the 2018 tests at the school, and who have a 2016 result from this or another school. (Matched Student Group)


Scaled Score summary table

The scaled score summary table (formerly found at the top of the Student Comparison Report) has been appended to the School Comparison Report, so that schools are still able to view the average scaled score differences between testing periods for national, state, school and (where applicable) matched school or matched student groups. Example of Scaled Score summary table showing Year 3 to Year 5 comparisons

Note: In the Year 7 report for schools with no Year 5 cohort, no 2016 Year 5 ‘School Mean’ is given, and the statistics for the ‘Matched School’ group are replaced with those for the ‘Matched Student’ group.

School-Student Comparison Report

This report provides data on individual students who completed Year 5, Year 7 or Year 9 tests and reports on Reading, Writing, Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation, and Numeracy.

For Year 5 and Year 9, this report shows the achievement levels for an individual student in 2016 and 2018, with respect to the corresponding national, state and school data for those years. The school data provided represents the complete school group (all students at the school at the time of testing).

A School-Student Comparison Report is available for Year 5 to Year 7. For schools that have both Year 5 and Year 7 enrolments, it follows the same format as that described above for Year 5 and Year 9 students. For other secondary schools, the report is the same except that the 2016 Year 5 ‘School’ distributions cannot be provided, and hence the (red) box-and-whiskers for 2016 Year 5 are not shown on the graph for these schools.

These data are useful for determining the change in a student’s performance between 2016 and 2018 (e.g. how the student’s Year 7 performance in 2016 compares to their performance in Year 9 in 2018). These data are also useful for determining a student’s rate of progress over time relative to other students in the national, state or school groups.


Example of Year 9 School–Student Comparison Report




- The third (red) box-and-whisker shows the distribution of results for all students who completed the test at the school in the relevant year. (School)

Note: The 2016 Year 5 ‘School’ distribution is not provided for Year 7 students, unless there were Year 5 students enrolled at the school in 2016.

These dots show the result for the nominated student for the tests in Year 7 and Year 9 respectively.


Relative Growth Report

The Relative Growth Report shows the level of growth for each student relative to similar ability students and enables schools to make more informed judgements about a student’s progress between testing periods. Each student’s level of relative growth is determined by comparing their result to results of Victorian students that had the same NAPLAN score two years ago. If, compared to the current year scores for this group of ‘similar’ students, the student’s current year NAPLAN score is in the:

• highest 25%, their growth is categorised as ‘High’ (Green),

• middle 50%, their growth is categorised as ‘Medium’ (Yellow),

• lowest 25%, their growth is categorised as ‘Low’ (Red).The tabular version of the report shows the scaled score outcomes and relative growth category (high, medium or low) for each student at the school that participated in NAPLAN assessment. The report may be ordered by students’ prior or current scores, or by student name, and may be viewed at a class or school level. A link is provided at the top of the report to a document containing further details about this report and some examples of how it may be used and interpreted. Example of Year 7 Relative Growth Report - tabular format

Link to Reference document

For a given student, ‘similar students’ are those Victorian students that had the same NAPLAN score in 2016.


The graphical version of the report provides a summary of these relative growth levels, and also displays them with respect to achievement levels from two years prior.

Example of Year 7 Relative Growth Report - graphical format


Transitional Relative Growth Report (Accessed via 2016 reporting year)

The Transitional Relative Growth Report shows the relative growth made by Year 5 students who were at the school two years prior and who have transitioned to a current Year 7 at a different school. The report is available for all test domains (Reading, Writing, Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation, and Numeracy) and shows the percentages of students who achieved High, Medium and Low relative growth (as defined on pages 27-28) in these areas across the transition from Year 5 to a current Year 7.The Transitional Relative Growth report is equivalent to the graphical version of the Year 5 to 7 Relative Growth Report (see page 28), except that

• the school group of interest is the Year 5 cohort from 2 years prior to the current testing year

• the report is accessed from the reporting year option for the Year 5 cohort of interest – not from the current reporting year.

The report does not display results for individual students. To access this report you need to select 2016 reporting year.

Example of Transitional Relative Growth Report for Year 5 (2 years prior) to a current Year 7.

The report is accessed from the reporting year option for the Year 5 cohort – not current reporting year.

The bands refer to the students’ starting points and reflect Year 5 results from 2 years prior.


Section 4: Interpretation of ResultsAll reports in the NAPLAN Data Service are provided using the National Assessment Program scale.

NAPLAN results between 2008 and 2018 are based on the scaled scores which form the numeric continuum from which the ten national reporting bands are derived. (See page 4 for further information on scaled scores and national reporting bands.) Reports showing national, state, school or subgroup distributions are generally presented as box-and-whisker graphs and referenced to the national reporting bands. The underlying summary statistics which generate these graphs are displayed, where appropriate, as scaled scores.

Online results are reported on the same scale as NAPLAN results from previous years. With the exception of Year 9 Writing (see page 4), scaled scores can be directly compared across time within any given assessment area. However, comparison of scaled scores across different assessment areas is not meaningful and is not recommended.

The national data used in the NAPLAN Data Service has been drawn from a large, scientifically constructed sample of results from across Australia. Graphs and tables for state data use results from the full Victorian testing cohorts of over 70,000 students at each of Years 3, 5, 7 and 9, spread across approximately 2,300 primary and secondary schools.

Making comparisons

A number of factors should be taken into account when making comparisons using school, subgroup or individual student data. In particular, schools should consider:

• the size of the group• the size of the difference between groups• any differences in testing mode (online or paper).

School and subgroup comparisons

Group level achievement data is more stable and more reliable when it is based on large groups. In general, the larger the group, the more reliably representative the data will be. For example, the national and state data presented in the Data Service has been based on very large numbers of students and will accurately reflect general achievement across Australia and Victoria respectively. With the exception of very small schools, school level data is also generally reliable, and meaningful comparisons may be made between the school performances and those of the state or the nation.

For schools with very small student numbers, care must be taken when making such comparisons as the difference may simply reflect the normal variation that occurs whenever student performance is measured. Similarly, in drawing conclusions about subgroup or class differences, consideration must be given to the size of the group. Group level results for a group with fewer than ten students cannot be used to provide accurate or meaningful comparisons.

The data for a complete Five Year Trend Data Report has been supplied, allowing schools to compare results for 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018.

As with school or subgroup comparisons made within a testing year, the validity of comparisons made over time will depend on both the size of the group and the size of the observed differences between groups.


If observed differences between groups are large, schools can be confident that they reflect a true disparity. Small differences may occur just by chance, especially when the groups are relatively small. Even for large groups, very small differences are unlikely to be of great practical significance, unless they form a consistent pattern over time.

Individual comparisons and improvement

NAPLAN consists of a number of single point-in-time tests designed to complement and confirm other classroom assessments, and should generally provide a very good indication of student ability at an individual level. However, occasional anomalies will occur, and if the test results for an individual student vary considerably from teacher expectations, teachers are encouraged to investigate the performance more closely. It is possible, for example, that the student was unwell on the day of the test and did not perform to the best of his or her ability.

34 NAPLAN Online 2018 Reporting Guide

Section 5: Individual Student ReportsA NAPLAN Student Report is provided for the parents for each student who undertook the Years 3, 5, 7 or 9 tests.

The format of the NAPLAN Student Reports is the same for all states and territories and has been set nationally for reporting student achievement results to parents for NAPLAN in 2018.

Each NAPLAN Student Report will include:

• student and school details• information about the NAPLAN tests• a ‘How to read the student report’ section • a pictorial example • individual student’s achievement results for Reading, Writing, Language Conventions (Spelling,

Grammar and Punctuation) and Numeracy on the National Assessment Program scale• an indicator for each assessment area that shows the national average and the middle 60% of

national results• a written description for each assessment area identifying the types of skills assessed • a ‘Summary of Skills and Understandings Assessed’ table describing what students are likely to

demonstrate in each of the bands.


Sample page 1 of the Individual NAPLAN Student Report

Student report 2018

This report shows the results for How to read the student report

Student report 2018National Assessment Program —

Literacy and Numeracy

Year

7

Year

7

Band

Summary of skills assessedThe skills described in the following table represent those typically assessed in NAPLAN tests for Year 7 students. These skills increase in difficulty from the lowest to the highest band. A student achieving a result in a particular band is likely to have correctly answered questions involving skills in that band and in each band below it.

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Reading Writing Language Conventions NumeracyProcesses and interprets ideas that are implicit in a range of complex narrative and informative texts. Analyses and evaluates evidence in persuasive texts and identifies language features to infer an author’s intended purpose and audience.

Incorporates elaborated ideas that reflect a worldwide view of the topic. Makes consistently precise word choices that engage or persuade the reader and enhance the writer’s point of view.Punctuates sentence beginnings and endings correctly and uses other complex punctuation correctly most of the time. Shows control and variety in paragraph construction to pace and direct the reader’s attention.

Identifies errors and correctly spells words with difficult spelling patterns (miniature, severely, technological ).Demonstrates knowledge of grammar and punctuation conventions in more complex texts, such as the correct use of possessive pronouns (its).

Solves complex reasoning problems. Uses square roots and powers. Evaluates algebraic expressions and solves equations and inequalities using substitution. Interprets simple linear graphs. Interrogates data and finds measures of centre. Calculates elapsed time across time zones. Determines angle size, area and volume of polygons and diameter and circumference of circles. Recognises congruence and uses similarity in regular shapes.

Interprets ideas and processes information in a range of complex texts. Understands how character traits and behaviours are used to develop stereotypes. Analyses and interprets persuasive texts to infer a specific purpose and audience. Uses the context to interpret vocabulary specific to a text or topic.

Writes a cohesive text that begins to engage or persuade the reader. Makes deliberate and appropriate word choices to create a rational or emotional response.Attempts to reveal attitudes and values and to develop a relationship with the reader. Constructs most complex sentences correctly. Spells most words, including many difficult words, correctly.

Identifies errors and correctly spells most words with difficult spelling patterns (echoes, principle, angrily, encouraged ).Demonstrates knowledge of grammar and punctuation conventions in more complex texts, such as appropriate sentence structure, the correct use of pronouns, pairs of conjunctions (neither, nor), forms of adverbs (more deeply), complex verb forms and quotation marks for effect.

Solves non-routine problems and compares common fractions, decimals and percentages. Continues linear patterns and identifies non-linear rules. Solves perimeter and area problems. Determines probabilities of outcomes of experiments. Classifies triangles and uses their properties. Identifies transformations of shapes and visualises changes to 3D objects. Determines direction using compass points and angles of turn.

Applies knowledge and understanding of different text types to process ideas, draw conclusions and infer themes and purpose. Identifies details that connect implied ideas across and within texts including character motivation in narrative texts, the writer’s values in persuasive texts and the main ideas in informative texts.

Develops ideas through language choices and effective textual features.Joins and orders ideas using connecting words and maintains clear meaning throughout the text.Correctly spells most common words and some difficult words, including words with less common spelling patterns and silent letters.

Identifies errors and correctly spells words with common spelling patterns and some words with difficult spelling patterns (temporary, ineffective, excellent, circulated ). Demonstrates knowledge of grammar and punctuation conventions in more complex texts, such as the correct use of compound verbs (could have), apostrophes for possession (nobody’s) and quotation marks for speech.

Solves multi-step problems involving relational reasoning. Calculates missing values in equations. Interprets rules and patterns and completes simple inequalities. Finds perimeters and areas of composite shapes. Calculates elapsed times across midday and midnight. Expresses probability as a fraction. Compares and classifies angles and solves problems involving nets. Uses scale to determine distance on maps.

Makes meaning from a range of text types of increasing difficulty and understands different text structures. Recognises the purpose of general text features such as titles and subheadings. Makes inferences by connecting ideas across different parts of texts. Interprets figurative language and identifies the main differences between characters in narrative texts.

Organises a text using paragraphs with related ideas. Uses some effective text features and accurate words or groups of words when developing ideas.Punctuates nearly all sentences correctly with capitals, full stops, exclamation marks and question marks.Correctly uses more complex punctuation markers some of the time.

Identifies errors and correctly spells most words with common spelling patterns (soldiers, address, meant, activity).Demonstrates knowledge of grammar and punctuation conventions in more complex texts, such as appropriate and clear sentence structure and the correct use of varied conjunctions (whether ).

Solves multi-step problems including those involving directed numbers, decimals, fractions and percentages. Continues patterns to higher terms. Finds unknowns in simple equations. Converts between familiar units of measure. Calculates durations of events. Interprets and uses data from a variety of displays. Recognises nets of familiar 3D objects and symmetry in irregular shapes. Interprets maps using scales, legends and coordinate systems.

Uses clearly stated information in familiar text types to draw some conclusions and inferences. Draws conclusions about a character in narrative texts. Connects and sequences ideas in longer informative texts and identifies opinions in persuasive texts.

Structures a text with a beginning, complication and resolution; or with an introduction, body and conclusion. Includes enough supporting detail for the text to be easily understood by the reader, although the conclusion or resolution may be weak or simple. Correctly structures most simple and compound sentences and some complex sentences.

Identifies errors and correctly spells one- and two-syllable words with common spelling patterns (grown, drafting, message).Recognises grammar and punctuation conventions in standard sentences and speech, such as the correct use of verb forms, synonyms, connecting words (however ), brackets and apostrophes for contractions (he’s).

Solves routine problems using a range of strategies. Demonstrates knowledge of fractions and decimals to hundredths. Continues number and spatial patterns. Uses familiar measures to estimate, calculate and compare area or volume. Reads graduated scales. Compares likelihood of outcomes in chance events. Recognises the effect of transformations on 2D shapes. Uses compass points and angles of turn to interpret maps.

Locates clearly stated information in narrative and informative texts to connect ideas and make inferences.Identifies the meaning of some unfamiliar words from their context and finds key information in longer texts including those with tables and diagrams.

Writes a text in which characters or setting are briefly described; or in which ideas on topics are briefly elaborated.Correctly punctuates some sentences with both capital letters and full stops. May demonstrate correct use of capitals for names and some other punctuation.Correctly spells most common words.

Identifies errors and correctly spells some one- and two-syllable words with common spelling patterns.Recognises grammar and punctuation conventions in standard sentences and speech, such as consistency within sentences, the correct use of verb forms and appropriate order of phrases.

Solves problems involving unit fractions, combinations of addition and subtraction of two-digit numbers and number facts to 10 x 10. Identifies division as the inverse of multiplication. Interprets timetables and calendars and reads time on clocks to the quarter hour. Locates information in tables and graphs. Recognises familiar 2D shapes after a transformation and identifies a line of symmetry. Visualises 3D objects from different viewpoints.

A student’s result is shown on an achievement scale for each assessment area. Results across the Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 literacy and numeracy assessments are reported on a scale from Band 1 to Band 10.

The achievement scale represents increasing levels of knowledge, understanding and skills demonstrated in the assessments. Results for Year 7 are reported across the range of Band 4 to Band 9, with Band 5 representing the national minimum standard for this year level.

The national average and the range of achievement for Year 7 students are also shown on the scale.

Your child’s results are shown on the inside pages of this report.

In May 2018, national literacy and numeracy assessments were administered to students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 throughout Australia. This report shows your child’s achievement in those assessments.

These assessments provide a snapshot of your child’s achievement at a point in time. The information contained in this report should be considered together with school-based assessments and reports.

From 2018 to 2020, NAPLAN is moving from a paper test to an online test to provide more accurate and precise information about what students know and can do. This means that during this period some students take NAPLAN on paper, while others sit the tests online.

Student results for both online and paper tests are comparable and are reported on the same NAPLAN assessment scale. NAPLAN results should always be interpreted with care. Your child’s teacher will have the best insight into your child’s educational progress.

Literacy assessmentThe literacy assessments measured student achievement in reading, writing and language conventions.

ReadingStudents were required to read a range of texts similar to those used in Year 7 classrooms and answer questions of varying difficulty to show their understanding of the material.

WritingStudents were instructed to respond to a writing prompt. This writing task required students to generate and organise ideas and demonstrate their skills in vocabulary use, sentence structure, spelling and punctuation.

Language ConventionsStudents were required to identify and correct spelling errors and answer questions on aspects of grammar and punctuation.

Numeracy assessmentThe numeracy assessment measured student achievement across number and algebra; measurement and geometry; and statistics and probability. Questions required students to apply mathematical knowledge, skills and understanding in a variety of contexts.

Band 9

Band 8

Band 7

Band 6

Band 5

Band 4

If a student’s result is here, it means the result is well above the expected level of achievement for Year 7 students.

Year 7 students with results in Band 4 are below the national minimum standard.

The lightly shaded area shows the range of achievement for the middle 60% of Year 7 students in Australia.

The triangle shows the national average for Year 7 students.

The dot shows an individual student’s result.


NAPLAN Data Service Reports

The NAPLAN Data Service Reports can be used to supplement information in the NAPLAN Student Reports. Teachers are advised to become familiar with the content of the reports so they can answer parents’ questions about particular aspects of their children’s results.

Confidentiality of results

When discussing NAPLAN Student Reports with parents, teachers should point out that the information about each child is confidential to the child’s parents, the teacher and the school.

Distribution of NAPLAN Student Reports

It is important that teachers be fully informed of the detailed results of each student and of the results for their class as a whole, and that parents have the opportunity to discuss the results with the school.

The results sent to the school provide detailed information about the achievement of each student.

This information can be used to place the NAPLAN Student Reports in a wider context that enables strategies and suggestions for learning improvement to be discussed with parents.

Parental interest in NAPLAN results is very high and it is essential that NAPLAN Student Reports are delivered as soon as possible after their arrival at the school. NAPLAN Student Reports are confidential documents that contain personal information about each student and, given the need for confidentiality, the VCAA asks all schools to consider a direct mail out to parents or to issue the reports directly, through, for example, an information night or by collection from the school by parents.

Schools should retain evidence of distribution of reports to parents at the school, for example, a letter addressed to parents or notification in the school newsletter, and schools are strongly advised to make a copy of each report and retain it at the school.

Replacement of NAPLAN Student Reports

The VCAA provides only one set of Student Reports to the school for distribution. Schools may photocopy the printed report sent to the school or access a similar report through the NAPLAN Data Service (see the Student Achievement Level Report on page 22).

NAPLAN Student Reports which carry an incorrect name as a result of incorrect information provided by the school may be replaced on request.

Queries about NAPLAN Student Reports

Parents who contact the VCAA with queries about their child’s report will, in most circumstances, be referred to the school. If the school has queries about results for particular students, it should contact the NAPLAN Helpdesk on freecall 1800 648 637 or email: [email protected]


Appendix 1: SSSR

SSSR Intepretation Guide

This section contains information on interpreting the SSSR as provided by ACARA.











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dual

stud

ent

• a y

ear l

evel

• in

divi

dual

clas

ses

• ot

her g

roup

s of s

tude

nts s

uch

as g

irls,

boys

, LBO

TE o

r ATS

I stu

dent

s.

Repo

rts o

n:•

Read

ing,

Writ

ing,

Spel

ling,

Gra

mm

ar

and

Punc

tuat

ion,

and

Num

erac

y.

• C

ompa

re th

e ach

ievem

ent o

f ind

ivid

ual

stud

ents

acro

ss al

l ass

essm

ent a

reas

.•

Iden

tify

whe

re in

divi

dual

stud

ents’

resu

lts

fit w

ith re

spec

t to

the d

istrib

utio

n of

re

sults

acro

ss th

e nat

ion.

• P

rovi

de a

subs

titut

e Stu

dent

Rep

ort f

or

pare

nts i

f req

uire

d. T

he re

port

mus

t be

run

on th

e nat

iona

l sca

le fo

r “A

ll”

stud

ents

for t

his t

o re

flect

the a

ctua

l St

uden

t Rep

ort.

Five

Yea

r Tr

end

Rep

ort

Disp

lays n

atio

nal,

state

and

scho

ol

resu

lts fo

r NA

PLA

N te

sts o

ver t

ime

(201

4 - 20

18).

Repo

rts fo

r:•

a yea

r lev

el•

grou

ps o

f stu

dent

s suc

h as

girl

s, bo

ys,

LBO

TE o

r ATS

I stu

dent

s.

Repo

rts o

n:

• Re

adin

g, W

ritin

g, Sp

ellin

g, G

ram

mar

an

d Pu

nctu

atio

n, an

d N

umer

acy.

• C

ompa

re th

e dist

ribut

ion

of n

atio

nal,

state

an

d sc

hool

NA

PLA

N re

sults

ove

r tim

e•

Com

pare

nat

iona

l, sta

te an

d sc

hool

scal

ed

scor

e mea

ns o

ver t

ime.

• Id

entif

y tre

nds i

n na

tiona

l, sta

te an

d sc

hool

NA

PLA

N re

sults

ove

r tim

e.


Rep

ort n

ame

Rep

ort f

unct

ion

Rep

ort c

rite

ria

Pos

sibl

e us

es fo

r re

port

Stu

dent

Com

pari

son

Rep

ort

Disp

lays t

he sc

aled

scor

es o

f stu

dent

s w

ho u

nder

took

Yea

r 5 o

r Yea

r 9 te

sts

in 20

12 fo

r who

m th

ere a

re m

atch

ed

resu

lts fr

om Y

ear 3

or Y

ear 7

2009

tests

.

Repo

rts fo

r:•

all m

atch

ed st

uden

ts or

• gr

oups

of s

tude

nts s

uch

as g

irls,

boys

, L

BOTE

or A

TSI s

tude

nts o

r•

indi

vidu

al cl

asse

s. Ca

n be

ord

ered

in as

cend

ing

or

desc

endi

ng o

rder

by:

• St

uden

t Nam

e•

Scal

ed sc

ore (

curr

ent y

ear)

• Sc

aled

scor

e (tw

o ye

ars p

revi

ous)

• Sc

aled

scor

e diff

eren

ceTh

ese o

rder

opt

ions

are a

vaila

ble f

or

indi

vidu

al o

utco

me a

reas

onl

y.Re

ports

on:

• Re

adin

g, W

ritin

g, Sp

ellin

g, G

ram

mar

a

nd P

unct

uatio

n, an

d N

umer

acy.

• Id

entif

y gr

oups

of s

tude

nts t

hat h

ave m

ade

sig

nific

ant p

rogr

ess b

etw

een

2009

and

2012

s

o th

at th

e sch

ool m

ay d

evelo

p ap

prop

riate

e

xten

sion

prog

ram

s for

thes

e stu

dent

s.•

Iden

tify

grou

ps o

f stu

dent

s tha

t hav

e mad

e l

ittle

prog

ress

bet

wee

n 20

09 an

d 20

12 so

t

hat t

he sc

hool

may

dev

elop

inte

rven

tion

p

rogr

ams t

o as

sist t

hese

stud

ents.

Sch

ool–

Stu

dent

C

ompa

riso

n R

epor

tD

isplay

s 201

6 and

2018

resu

lts fo

r an

indi

vidu

al st

uden

t, w

ith re

spec

t to

corr

espo

ndin

g re

sults

at n

atio

nal,

state

an

d sc

hool

leve

ls.

Repo

rts fo

r ind

ivid

ual s

tude

nts c

ompa

red

to:

• al

l stu

dent

s or

• gr

oups

of s

tude

nts s

uch

as g

irls,

boys

,

LBO

TE o

r ATS

I stu

dent

s.

Repo

rts o

n:•

Read

ing,

Writ

ing,

Spel

ling,

Gra

mm

ar

and

Pun

ctua

tion,

and

Num

erac

y.

• De

term

ine t

he ch

ange

in in

divi

dual

s

tude

nts’

perfo

rman

ce b

etw

een

2016

and

2

018 (

i.e. h

ow th

e stu

dent

s’ Ye

ar 7

2016

r

esul

ts co

mpa

re to

thei

r per

form

ance

in

Yea

r 9 in

2018

).•

Dete

rmin

e a st

uden

t’s ra

te o

f pro

gres

s ove

r t

ime r

elativ

e to

othe

r stu

dent

s in

the s

tate

a

nd n

atio

nally

.


Rep

ort n

ame

Rep

ort f

unct

ion

Rep

ort c

rite

ria

Pos

sibl

e us

es fo

r re

port

Rel

ativ

e G

row

th R

epor

tD

isplay

s 201

6 to

2018

com

para

tive

grow

th (H

igh,

Med

ium

or L

ow) f

or

each

stud

ent w

ith re

spec

t to

‘sim

ilar

stud

ents’

(tho

se w

ith th

e sam

e 201

6 sc

ore).

Th

e rep

ort i

s ava

ilabl

e in:

• ta

bula

r for

mat

(list

s ind

ivid

ual

stu

dent

s)•

grap

hica

l for

mat

(pro

vide

s sum

mar

y i

nfor

mat

ion

abou

t the

per

cent

age o

f s

tude

nts i

n ea

ch g

row

th ca

tego

ry).

Repo

rts fo

r:•

all s

tude

nts

• in

divi

dual

clas

ses

• st

uden

ts fro

m a

selec

ted

grow

th

cat

egor

y.

Repo

rts o

n:•

Read

ing,

Writ

ing,

Spel

ling,

Gra

mm

ar

and

Pun

ctua

tion,

and

Num

erac

y.

Can

be o

rder

ed b

y:•

2016

stud

ent s

core

• 20

18 st

uden

t sco

re

• st

uden

t nam

e.

• C

ompa

re st

uden

t gro

wth

bet

wee

n N

APL

AN

testi

ng p

erio

ds w

ith th

at o

f sim

ilar s

tude

nts.

• Id

entif

y if

ther

e are

par

ticul

ar st

uden

t ab

ility

gro

ups w

here

hig

h re

lativ

e gro

wth

ha

s bee

n ac

hiev

ed co

mpa

red

to si

mila

r st

uden

ts.•

Iden

tify

if th

ere a

re p

artic

ular

stud

ents

or st

uden

t abi

lity

grou

ps w

here

onl

y lo

w re

lativ

e gro

wth

has

bee

n ac

hiev

ed

com

pare

d to

sim

ilar s

tude

nts.

Tran

sitio

nal R

elat

ive

Gro

wth

Rep

ort

Show

s 201

6 to

2018

relat

ive g

row

th

cate

gorie

s (H

igh,

Med

ium

or L

ow) f

or

the s

choo

l coh

ort o

f Yea

r 5 st

uden

ts at

the s

choo

l in

2016

who

hav

e tra

nsiti

oned

to Y

ear 7

at a

diffe

rent

sc

hool

.Th

e rep

ort i

s ava

ilabl

e in

• gr

aphi

cal f

orm

at o

nly

The r

epor

t is a

cces

sed

from

the 2

016

Year

5 m

enu.

Repo

rts fo

r•

Year

5 gr

oup

level

only

Repo

rts o

n:

• Re

adin

g, W

ritin

g, Sp

ellin

g, G

ram

mar

a

nd P

unct

uatio

n, an

d N

umer

acy.

• R

eview

and

asse

ss th

e sch

ool’s

Yea

r 5 an

d 6 T

each

ing

and

Lear

ning

pro

gram

s with

re

spec

t the

relat

ive g

row

th ac

hiev

ed in

cu

rren

t NA

PLA

N re

sults

by

the g

roup

of

stud

ents

who

hav

e rec

ently

tran

sitio

ned

to

Year

7 at

a di

ffere

nt sc

hool

.


Glossary

Data presentation

Scaled scores and the National Assessment Program scale

Nationally, student outcomes are provided as a scaled score. These scores range from 0 to 1000, and form the numeric continuum from which the ten national reporting bands are derived (see page 3).

Where appropriate, the NAPLAN Data Service displays summary statistics and individual student outcomes as scaled scores, and the distribution of results as box-and-whisker graphs plotted against the reporting bands.

• Year 3 - results will be reported in Band 1 to Band 6• Year 5 - results will be reported in Band 3 to Band 8• Year 7 - results will be reported in Band 4 to Band 9• Year 9 - results will be reported in Band 5 to Band 10.

Note: all national and state statistics provided are based on full cohort data, and include results from both paper and online tests.

Box-and-whisker (box plot) format

Some NAPLAN reports use a box-and-whisker format to display the distribution of student results at national, state and school group levels. These are only provided for groups of 10 or more students.

The shaded box represents the middle fifty percent of student scores for the particular group. The median (middle score) is shown by the black line within the box.

The line segments (whiskers) at each end of the box extend down to the 10th percentile and up to the 90th percentile,

‘Percentile’ refers to the group rankings on a scale of 0 to 100. For example 90% of students in a group will have scores at or below the score represented by the 90thpercentile, while 10% of student scores will be greater than this.

Note: box and whisker graphs are also used in the Class Summary reports in the SSSR. They are similar to those used in the Data Service except that:

• The whiskers extend to the minimum and maximum scores (not to the 10th and 90th percentiles)• They are provided for groups of less than 10 students.

Median

The median or mid-score (50th percentile) is the value where half the scores are above it and half below it (e.g. the median of 8, 9, 11, 14, 15, 16, 18 is 14).

Mean

The mean (or average) is the total of scores for all members of the group divided by the number of members in that group (e.g. the mean of 8, 9, 11, 14, 15, 16, 18 is 13).


Standard deviation

Standard deviation (SD) is a measure of the spread of scores around the mean. A larger SD indicates a wider spread of scores. The range of + or – one SD either side of the mean contains about 68 per cent of scores, and + or – two SDs either side of the mean contains about 95 per cent of scores.

Standard error (se) of the mean

Assessment results data is always subject to a degree of uncertainty, due to the fact that, for a variety of reasons, some students will do a little better or a little worse than they perhaps could have or should have on a single assessment. In very large groups, these fluctuations tend to average out, but in smaller groups they can be significant. The standard error (se) of the mean provides a measure of this uncertainty, and can be used to generate a confidence interval for the mean. A 95% confidence interval for the school mean is given by mean ± 2 x se(mean).
